Alfar
The Alfar race predates the time of Man. Once the most powerful race in Tierra Verde, they were driven to the verge of extinction by the cataclysmic event known as the Quickening, which also destroyed the Suel Empire and marked the formation of the Black Lands. They were once divided into two races – the fiery-skinned Thracians '''and the bronze-coloured '''Liberians, the Quickening has bleached them of their former colour, turning them into a almost wraith-like versions of their former selves. Racial Traits *'+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Constitution': Álfar are nimble, both in body and mind, but their form is frail. *'Medium': Álfar are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. *'Fast Speed': Álfar have a base speed of 40 feet. *'Low-Light Vision': Álfar can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. *'Survivors': Álfar are immune to disease and get a +2 racial bonus on saves against poison and curses. *'Masters of the Waste': Alfar receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against aberrations and undead, and a +2 racial bonus to saves against their spells and abilities. *'Alfar Magic': Alfar receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance and a +1 to the DCs of all mind-affecting spells that they cast. In addition, they can affect mindless creatures with mind-affecting spells, but treat the save DC as 2 lower than normal. *'Blade Dance': Alfar treat polearms and falchions as finesse weapons. *'Keen Senses': Álfar receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks. *'Ancient Legacy': Alfar gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (History) checks and may substitute it for Use Magic Device when using items made by Alfar, Ancient Suloise or Aurochs. *'Weapon Familiarity': Álfar are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), glaives, falchions, and shortbows (including composite shortbows). *'Languages': Álfar begin play speaking Oronion and Old Common. Physical Description Alfar are humanoid creatures standing slightly taller than an average human. Their bodies are human-like in most regards, save for their unique gait. Alfar are ungulates. In other words, they use the tips of their toes to sustain the entirety of their weight while moving. Their feet are elongated, with their heels receding into the back of the foot, giving it a streamlined appearance like that of a feline. Because of this, Alfar footwear is often difficult to make. Alfar have invariably pale greyish skin and straight or slightly wavy black hair. They possess little to no body or facial hair. Eye colour is usually black or a pale pink, lavender-grey or even white. Alfar teeth are all pointed and they can open their mouths significantly wider than a human. Their ears are slightly pointed. Alfar are a great deal more flexible than humans, possessing only nine sets of cartilaginous ribs. While this provides a great amount of flexibility, it leaves them frail and prone to injury. In addition, they possess two extra sets of abdominal muscles, giving them ten visible external obliques instead of the usual ‘6 pack’. Alfar do not display a huge amount of gender dimorphism, with females retaining adolescent bodies until they fall pregnant, at which point they rapidly fill out. This has led to some confusion amongst the other races who often fail to pick up on the subtle differences between genders. Originally, Felgard had a lifespan of several hundreds of years. However, following the downfall of Thracia and Liberia, their lifespans have started to grow shorter with each generation. Currently, Felgard rarely live to over 120 years. Their rate of maturity hasn’t changed, however, each Felgard reaching adulthood at the age of 20. Felgard The Felgard are rarely seen in their true forms.They are almost always wearing their swathes of airtight black robes and cloaks and wrought metal plague-doctor-like masks. Some speculate that the Felgard wear these masks to hide grotesque mutations that have appeared during their time in the Black Lands, but the truth behind these theories is unknown. History DEVELOPMENT Alfar Society Felgard Most Álfar in Tierra Verde belong the stoic Felgard, who inhabit impenetrable fortress-cities in the ruined wastes of their old empire. Meticulous almost to the point of paranoia, the Felgard are rarely seen in the flesh, hiding behind iron masks and airtight robes designed to hold the taint of the Black Lands at bay. They are the silent guardians of the outer world, destroying the threats of their former homeland from within. 'Settlements' Felgard settlements usually take the form of cliffside spire-rings, tall circles of stone and wood towers connected by a web of walkways. Usually built straight into the cliff-face, and more often than not around a waterfall, Felgard settlements are well-weathered and designed to resist the elements and harness their natural power. 'Power Groups' Felgard spire-rings are each ruled by a Guardian Arc of 6 Barons and a single Margrave. Each of the Barons are appointed through semi-democratic election. They must be recommended to the margrave by at least 3 other Barons and have the general consensus of the population. 'Beliefs' The chief deity of the Felgard is Cardea the Forgotten Goddess. Representing melancholy, isolation and stagnation as well as purity, ineffability and humility, Cardea appears as a beautiful green-haired Felgard maiden whose eyes constantly weep. Moss and Fungi grow up around her from her tears, wrapping her white robes. The Felgard take her message of humility and isolation to heart, silently keeping vigil over their former home. 'Relations' Felgard do not get on with other races. They treat other races with thinly veiled contempt which can easily become hostility. While they have an extreme dislike of other races, they are not beyond cooperating with them if the need should arise. They see Scions as an inferior race who have weakened the Alfar bloodline. Felgard are on neutral terms with Humans, Sanhedrin and Oni. They view goblins as pests and the Manifest as another race to be herded. To the Suloise they grant no additional respect, for while their ancestors may have been their greatest allies, their descendants do not share their former glory. Threllkeld The only other remnant are the wild Threllkeld, who abandoned their homes to live in the protection of the petrified forests on the border of Ryedale. Having forsaken their old culture, the Threllkeld live primitive and xenophobic existences, hiding away in the stone pillars of their new home. The Alfar of the Mithril Isles are so distant from their mainland cousins that they might as well be counted as a seperate species. See the Mithril Isles for more details. Characters 'Adventuring Alfar' Alfar adventurers are often young and restless, having grown tired of their race's forgotten and stagnant existence. Some seek personal glory, while others seek to renew the Alfar name. In other cases, adventurers simply seek to escape their culture’s grim existence. In any case, however, adventurers are not held in high regard by any of their peers, and are among the lowest ranked. 'Character' Development DEVELOPMENT 'Roleplaying a Felgard' ‘Pride comes before a fall,’ is one of the central doctrines of every Alfar’s life. Pride is the vice that cost them their home, and it is something that they will care not to repeat. Thus, Alfar take no satisfaction in praise or celebration, preferring to be silently content with their achievements. 'Personality' The majority of Alfar society is grim and tense. Emotions are usually guarded, usually welling up to a point where it all comes out at once, often in the heat of battle. Small talk seems to have been lost all together, and any conversation that isn’t directly to the point is usually to deride something with deadpan humor or sardonic wit. Felgard Outlanders often develop a sadistic streak, taking pleasure in completely dominating their quarry. 'Behaviour' Alfar are always on their toes (quite literally), something that years of minding the Black Lands has seen to. Alfar find enjoyment in activities that keep the mind sharp and the hands busy such as masonry or puzzles. Though Felgard cities are often splendidly decorated and filled with fantastically carved and realistic sculptures, the Alfar show little appreciation for art, seeing it as more of something to occupy the time than an expression of emotion.